By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Monica Sagastizado secures vacant Mansfield seat
MONICA SAGASTIZADO
Monica Sagastizado

Editor's Note: This story was updated on Wednesday afternoon to include a statement that Monica Sagastizado shared with The Covington News.

MANSFIELD, Ga. — By a narrow margin, Monica Sagastizado has secured a spot on the Mansfield City Council.

Sagastizado will fill the vacant Post 1 seat. Receiving 45 votes, she claims the seat in a slim victory over opponent Gabriela Mayorga-Arias, who fell just short with 43 votes.

This was the second time in recent years that Sagastizado ran for the Mansfield City Council. She unsuccessfully ran against current Post 3 Councilman Brandon Hays and challenger Johnathan Fuqua in a special election for the seat in 2024.

In a statement shared with The Covington News on Wednesday, Sagastizado expressed her excitement about the victory.

"I am honored to be elected as city council woman for Mansfield," Sagastizado wrote. "I would like to thank my friends and family for their support throughout this journey. I would especially like to thank my husband, Chris Davis, for his unwavering love and support, and, of course, God. If at first you don’t succeed, try again! Now it's time to get to work!"

In her CovNews Election Questionnaire, Sagastizado shared that her professional background lies in urban planning, specifically, as a transportation planner at an engineering and consulting firm.

“I decided to run because I realized that in my job as a planner, I was helping other communities, but I wasn’t using my skills to help the city in which I live in,” Sagastizado wrote.

Sagastizado also wrote that she hopes to revitalize downtown Mansfield through initiatives like the Georgia Main Street Program. But she was clear that she wishes to preserve Mansfield’s rural quality and focus on economic development with careful planning. 

“Economic development can be achieved by leveraging our existing assets, such as the "square," supporting existing local businesses, and developing land use plans that are consistent with current infrastructure,” Sagastizado wrote.

Sagastizado will assume office in January 2026.